Even after he

turned in his job application, employers didn’t call.

Finally, one of them was nice enough to tell John the problem. “It’s your application. You misspelled words. You didn’t answer all the questions. You didn’t follow directions. We were afraid your work would be like your job application.”

Before your teen applies for a job, give her some practice filling out job applications. Ask a local store for a copy of their job application.

Have her read the directions carefully. If it says, “Print or type only,” make sure she doesn’t write in cursive. Don’t write anything where it says, “Do not write in this space.”

Make a copy of the blank application to use for practice. Then she can copy her responses neatly onto the original. If he needs to provide references, make sure he has addresses and telephone numbers (and make sure he has contacted his references so they can expect a call from a potential employer).

As the old saying goes, your teen never gets a second chance to make a first impression. The first impression she creates when she fills out a job application can make the difference between a phone call that says, “You’re hired,” and one that says, “Sorry, we couldn’t use you.”

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